October 08, 2009

More Manti: Te'o talks about Jon Tenuta, biding his time, more

The ascension and assimilation of Manti Te'ointo the Notre Dame defensive mix was addressed Thursday in the Tribune, but there was more a second media session of the season that lasted nearly a half-hour for the freshman linebacker.

Here are a few choice snippets from Te'o that didn't make it into print:

On defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jon Tenuta: "He's just straight to the point, and that's my kind of football. I wouldn't want anybody to fluff things up for me. I want to know the truth of how I played. That's what I love about him."

On biding his time for four games: "I just took every day one at a time and just had to be patient. I knew the coaches were doing what was best for the team. I supported whatever decisions they made. I just made sure whenever I got the chance to go in that I did what I had to do, to the best of my ability."

On the keys to his adjustment to the college game: "It's just getting familiar with my responsibilities and just being in the mix. The more reps any athlete gets the more familiar he'll get with the whole routine of things. I've just been getting more familiar with the way things are done and always working hard and doing my best to help the team succeed."

On his family visiting for the Washington game: "They were actually here for the opener, too, for the Nevada game. Out of this whole experience, that's the highlight of my whole experience here, is to have my family come to see me. Everybody knows that my family is No. 1 in my life. For them to make the sacrifice to come all the way over here just to see me play, it's truly a blessing for me."

On dealing on life without his family: "It's been tough, but I've learned to deal with it. There's nothing I can do that will bring them closer. The only thing I can really do is just honor them by the way I play and conduct myself. Everything I do, I just hope to honor them. I hope everyone back home is watching and I make them proud."

On dealing with college life: "Guys who aren't on the football team, they're kind of rowdy at night. They come in my dorm and say, oops, sorry, and then they close the door and let me sleep. It's been fun. It's been fun."

On the last four weeks of nail-biters: "It's been nerve-wracking. I just feel grateful to actually have been there to witness it and be part of those kinds of things. Rarely do you witness games like those, especially four times in a row."

On the celebration scene after the Washington game: "For me, it was a big relief to get out of the cold. That was the main thing. That's all that was on my mind. First thing I did was run up to the stands and hug my parents, tell them how much I love them. Just made my way straight to the locker room. On the way, just threw my gloves up to the fans."

On the Irish defense in general: "Every day, we're just getting better. That's all we can really do. You can't look back at what's happened in the past; you just always look forward and learn from your mistakes. Every week I see our team is getting better."

On how his family is dealing with his being thousands of miles away:"They're just very excited for what lies ahead and they're just very thankful that the coaches here and the people here at Notre Dame and South Bend have helped me to grow as a young man. When they first came here for the Nevada game, my Mom was crying. That answers all the questions of what this place means to them. By hugging my Dad and hugging my Mom at the end of the game and feeling the love that they had, it just supported my decision to come here. From there, I knew I made the right decision."

Comments

Manti is light years ahead of the many thousands of freshman playing at all levels of football. However, it is how he was raised by his family and taught by his teachers, coaches, and instructors that makes him the patient, disciplined, intelligent, and industrious person that we see and read about. He is a true example of what a role model is. He is that type of person who can positively influence young and old alike. I congratulate his parents and coaches, and all who have touched his life. Now that Manti is at a great academic institution, I wish him well in his studies. Good luck in your future endeavors Manti, and may the good Lord keep you and your family safe.

Not only is Manti Te'o a great football player, he is also a very perceptive (and even greater) young man. Just consider the following: [I hope that this was not simply an "add-on", coming as it does at the end of the article]:

On how his family is dealing with his being thousands of miles away:

"They're just very excited for what lies ahead and they're just very thankful that the coaches here and the people here at Notre Dame and South Bend have helped me to grow as a young man. When they first came here for the Nevada game, my Mom was crying. That answers all the questions of what this place means to them. By hugging my Dad and hugging my Mom at the end of the game and feeling the love that they had, it just supported my decision to come here. From there, I knew I made the right decision."

Not only is Manti Te'o a great football player, he is also a very perceptive (and even greater) young man. Just consider the following [the last "question" and the last "quote" from the posting -- I hope it was not simply an "add-on", coming as it does at the end of the article -- this "quote" is truly the most important part of the entire post]:

On how his family is dealing with his being thousands of miles away:

"They're just very excited for what lies ahead and they're just very thankful that the coaches here and the people here at Notre Dame and South Bend have helped me to grow as a young man. When they first came here for the Nevada game, my Mom was crying. That answers all the questions of what this place means to them. By hugging my Dad and hugging my Mom at the end of the game and feeling the love that they had, it just supported my decision to come here. From there, I knew I made the right decision."

"THE RIGHT DECISION", indeed. And for all the right reasons. "This place" [Notre Dame] is truly very sacred ground, something that is felt deep inside by anyone that enters upon the campus understanding it singular dedication to our Blessed Mother. It is clear that Manti (and his family) "gets it".

That's why Notre Dame was founded by Father Sorin. That's why Notre Dame is a destination for so many people - all year round. And that's why young men like Manti (and the others that labor on the gridiron) come to Notre Dame.

About Brian Hamilton

Brian Hamilton was assigned to the Notre Dame beat in July 2007 and is curious to see if fans have any interest in what happens to the football team there.

Since joining the Tribune in September 2005, Brian has covered everything from the Illinois high school cheerleading championships to the WNBA to the Final Four and Super Bowl XLI, nearly all of it without embarrassment. In the summer of 2006, he wrote a profile of a plucky, under-the-radar recruit named Jimmy Clausen, giving the kid an infusion of much-needed publicity.

Prior to arriving at the Tribune, Brian spent six years scraping permafrost off his notebook while working in Minnesota at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and mainly covering college football, basketball and the NBA's Timberwolves. This after attending one of the best schools for journalism in America, Northwestern University, and taking full advantage by majoring in English and creative writing while dropping his one journalism class after two weeks.

Brian grew up on the north side of Westfield, N.J., and now lives in Lakeview. He has many leather-bound books and his apartment smells of rich mahogany. Merlin Olsen comes over on occasion.